Lack of insight into Iran’s current economic condition hinders foreign businesses from making investment here.
Despite all the efforts made by Iranian delegations that visited several countries to attract foreign investment, Iran is yet to be discovered by foreign investors.
That’s what the President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Mohsen Jalalpour wanted to bring home to his social media followers in his latest post on Instagram.
His comments came close on the heels of the EU tour he and his fellow businesspeople from the private sector made in the company of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif last week.
Jalalpour referred to the inadequacy of English resources about Iran’s economic capacities and called for using social media tools to introduce the country economically.
He appealed to “all of Iran’s well-wishers to employ whatever tools they may have at their disposal” to bring foreign investors up to date on Iran’s new economic climate and encourage them to put their money into its market.
“Why not make waves on social media by trending hashtags such as #IranEconomy, #InvestmentinIran, #IranMarket and #IranInvestmentOpportunities or #IranEconomicProfile. You can also provide Internet users with data on our country’s economic growth, interest and foreign currency rates, and capital markets in English,” he added.
Jalalpour believes that a big movement for shedding light on Iran’s investment opportunities needs to be set in motion by every Iranian, no matter where they live. He thinks such a use of social media platforms is bound to produce desirable results for the economy.
Making social media waves is not new to Iranians, according to a report by our sister publication Donye-e-Eqtesad. Since April 2014, the Twitter hashtag #MustSeeIran has succeeded in drawing a lot of attention to Iran by showcasing the country’s architecture, art, culture, landscapes, food, and tourist attractions.
The Twitter site displays images of Iran’s culture and society, which have the potential of dispelling myths and preconceived notions those unfamiliar with Iran might harbor.
The hashtag was created by Ali Araqchi, with a PhD from the University of Geneva and International Telecommunications Union Project Officer in United Nations, Geneva headquarters.
In a message, Araqchi introduces his campaign as follows: “I have started the Twitter campaign with the hashtag #MustSeeIran to introduce our beautiful and dear country, Iran, to the world by using photos with this hashtag. A thriving tourism industry will solve many of the economic problems that ordinary people face.”
He stated that it is a non-profit, nonpartisan campaign–a feature that has distinguished it from others of its kind, although it has also been endorsed greatly by the Iranian media.
Many notable government officials expressed support for the initiative, including President Hassan Rouhani. It has been receiving accolades from around the world, particularly by foreign tourists.
Similarly, Iranian officials and economists have welcomed Jalapour’s proposal and put forth further suggestions.
This is a constructive helpful suggestion, says the former governor of the Central Bank of Iran, Tahmasb Mazaheri.
“We need to be cautious, though. First we need to avoid hyperbole and take into account the difference between our potential and reality. Second, those who meet with foreign investors should put together a list of questions and complaints. The list should be forwarded to or discussed with officials,” he said.
The newly-elected lawmaker, Fatemeh Hosseini, also considered Jalapour’s suggestion as useful and signaled the new parliament’s readiness to cooperate with ICCIMA in this regard.
